Mon Feb 17 15:00:25 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Minister Downplays Congress Rift, Defends State’s Investment Climate

**KOCHI, February 17, 2025** – Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeeve today dismissed concerns over a reported rift between Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, asserting that internal political squabbles shouldn’t tarnish the state’s pro-business image.

The Minister’s statement follows a press conference held by Mr. Satheesan on Monday, criticizing the positive portrayal of Kerala’s business environment. This was in response to Mr. Tharoor’s recent article praising the Left Front government’s pro-business policies.

Minister Rajeeve criticized Mr. Satheesan for undermining the state’s industrial achievements, particularly in light of the upcoming Invest Kerala Summit (February 21-22). He accused some individuals of adopting an “anti-investment stance” to downplay the government’s successes.

Addressing Mr. Satheesan’s claims that the government’s reported creation of three lakh ventures in three years hasn’t translated into a significant increase in Kerala’s national GDP share, Minister Rajeeve explained that investment impact on GDP takes time. He also refuted allegations that the government included small establishments in its MSME count, stating that this aligns with the revised central government definition of MSMEs from 2021. The Minister emphasized that this practice is consistent with other states.

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